As Introduced

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
S. B. No. 195


Senator Patton 



A BILL
To amend sections 121.083, 4111.14, 4113.15, 4115.03, 1
4123.01, and 4141.01 and to enact sections 4175.01 2
to 4175.16 and 4175.99 of the Revised Code to 3
create a uniform standard to determine whether an 4
individual performing services for an employer is 5
an employee of that employer.6


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 121.083, 4111.14, 4113.15, 4115.03, 7
4123.01, and 4141.01 be amended and sections 4175.01, 4175.02, 8
4175.03, 4175.04, 4175.05, 4175.06, 4175.07, 4175.08, 4175.09, 9
4175.10, 4175.11, 4175.12, 4175.13, 4175.14, 4175.15, 4175.16, 10
and 4175.99 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:11

       Sec. 121.083.  The superintendent of labor in the department 12
of commerce shall do all of the following:13

       (A) Administer and enforce the general laws of this state14
pertaining to buildings, pressure piping, boilers, bedding, 15
upholstered furniture, and stuffed toys, steam engineering, 16
elevators, plumbing, licensed occupations regulated by the 17
department, and travel agents, as they apply to plans review,18
inspection, code enforcement, testing, licensing, registration, 19
and certification.20

       (B) Exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated to 21
the superintendent by the director of commerce under Chapters 22
4109., 4111., and 4115., and 4175. of the Revised Code.23

       (C) Collect and collate statistics as are necessary.24

       (D) Examine and license persons who desire to act as steam25
engineers, to operate steam boilers, and to act as inspectors of26
steam boilers, provide for the scope, conduct, and time of such27
examinations, provide for, regulate, and enforce the renewal and28
revocation of such licenses, inspect and examine steam boilers and 29
make, publish, and enforce rules and orders for the construction, 30
installation, inspection, and operation of steam boilers, and do, 31
require, and enforce all things necessary to make such 32
examination, inspection, and requirement efficient.33

       (E) Rent and furnish offices as needed in cities in this34
state for the conduct of its affairs.35

       (F) Oversee a chief of construction and compliance, a chief 36
of operations and maintenance, a chief of licensing and 37
certification, a chief of worker protection, and other designees 38
appointed by the director to perform the duties described in this 39
section.40

       (G) Enforce the rules the board of building standards adopts 41
pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 4104.43 of the Revised 42
Code under the circumstances described in division (D) of that 43
section.44

       (H) Accept submissions, establish a fee for submissions, and 45
review submissions of certified welding and brazing procedure 46
specifications, procedure qualification records, and performance 47
qualification records for building services piping as required by 48
section 4104.44 of the Revised Code.49

       Sec. 4111.14. (A) Pursuant to the general assembly's 50
authority to establish a minimum wage under Section 34 of Article 51
II, Ohio Constitution, this section is in implementation of 52
Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution. In implementing 53
Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution, the general assembly 54
hereby finds that the purpose of Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 55
Constitution, is to:56

       (1) Ensure that Ohio employees, as defined in division (B)(1) 57
of this section, are paid the wage rate required by Section 34a of 58
Article II, Ohio Constitution;59

       (2) Ensure that covered Ohio employers maintain certain 60
records that are directly related to the enforcement of the wage 61
rate requirements in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution; 62

       (3) Ensure that Ohio employees who are paid the wage rate 63
required by Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution, may 64
enforce their right to receive that wage rate in the manner set 65
forth in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution; and66

       (4) Protect the privacy of Ohio employees' pay and personal 67
information specified in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 68
Constitution, by restricting an employee's access, and access by a 69
person acting on behalf of that employee, to the employee's own 70
pay and personal information.71

       (B) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 72
Constitution, the terms "employer," "employee," "employ," and73
"person," and "independent contractor" have the same meanings as 74
in the "Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938," 52 Stat. 1060, 29 75
U.S.C. 203, as amended. In construing the meaning of these terms, 76
due consideration and great weight shall be given to the United 77
States department of labor's and federal courts' interpretations 78
of those terms under the Fair Labor Standards Act and its 79
regulations. As used in division (B) of this section:80

       (1) "Employee" means individuals employed in Ohio, but does 81
not mean individuals who are excluded from the definition of 82
"employee" under 29 U.S.C. 203(e) or individuals who are exempted 83
from the minimum wage requirements in 29 U.S.C. 213 and from the 84
definition of "employee" in this chapterincludes an individual 85
who performs services for an employer unless the director of 86
commerce determines that the factors described in division (B) of 87
section 4175.03 of the Revised Code apply to the individual.88

       (2) "Employ" and "employee" do"Employee" does not include 89
any person acting as a volunteer. In construing who is a 90
volunteer, "volunteer" shall have the same meaning as in sections 91
553.101 to 553.106 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal 92
Regulations, as amended, and due consideration and great weight 93
shall be given to the United States department of labor's and 94
federal courts' interpretations of the term "volunteer" under the 95
Fair Labor Standards Act and its regulations.96

       (C) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 97
Constitution, the state may issue licenses to employers 98
authorizing payment of a wage below that required by Section 34a 99
of Article II, Ohio Constitution, to individuals with mental or 100
physical disabilities that may otherwise adversely affect their 101
opportunity for employment. In issuing such licenses, the state 102
shall abide by the rules adopted pursuant to section 4111.06 of 103
the Revised Code.104

       (D)(1) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 105
Constitution, individuals employed in or about the property of an 106
employer or an individual's residence on a casual basis are not 107
included within the coverage of Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 108
Constitution. As used in division (D) of this section:109

       (a) "Casual basis" means employment that is irregular or 110
intermittent and that is not performed by an individual whose 111
vocation is to be employed in or about the property of the 112
employer or individual's residence. In construing who is employed 113
on a "casual basis," due consideration and great weight shall be 114
given to the United States department of labor's and federal 115
courts' interpretations of the term "casual basis" under the Fair 116
Labor Standards Act and its regulations.117

       (b) "An individual employed in or about the property of an 118
employer or individual's residence" means an individual employed 119
on a casual basis or an individual employed in or about a 120
residence on a casual basis, respectively.121

       (2) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 122
Constitution, employees of a solely family-owned and operated 123
business who are family members of an owner are not included 124
within the coverage of Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 125
Constitution. As used in division (D)(2) of this section, "family 126
member" means a parent, spouse, child, stepchild, sibling, 127
grandparent, grandchild, or other member of an owner's immediate 128
family.129

       (E) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 130
Constitution, an employer shall at the time of hire provide an 131
employee with the employer's name, address, telephone number, and 132
other contact information and update such information when it 133
changes. As used in division (E) of this section:134

       (1) "Other contact information" may include, where 135
applicable, the address of the employer's internet site on the 136
world wide web, the employer's electronic mail address, fax 137
number, or the name, address, and telephone number of the 138
employer's statutory agent. "Other contact information" does not 139
include the name, address, telephone number, fax number, internet 140
site address, or electronic mail address of any employee, 141
shareholder, officer, director, supervisor, manager, or other 142
individual employed by or associated with an employer.143

       (2) "When it changes" means that the employer shall provide 144
its employees with the change in its name, address, telephone 145
number, or other contact information within sixty business days 146
after the change occurs. The employer shall provide the changed 147
information by using any of its usual methods of communicating 148
with its employees, including, but not limited to, listing the 149
change on the employer's internet site on the world wide web, 150
internal computer network, or a bulletin board where it commonly 151
posts employee communications or by insertion or inclusion with 152
employees' paychecks or pay stubs.153

       (F) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 154
Constitution, an employer shall maintain a record of the name, 155
address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, 156
and each amount paid an employee for a period of not less than 157
three years following the last date the employee was employed by 158
that employer. As used in division (F) of this section:159

       (1) "Address" means an employee's home address as maintained 160
in the employer's personnel file or personnel database for that 161
employee.162

       (2)(a) With respect to employees who are not exempt from the 163
overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act or this 164
chapter, "pay rate" means an employee's base rate of pay.165

       (b) With respect to employees who are exempt from the 166
overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act or this 167
chapter, "pay rate" means an employee's annual base salary or 168
other rate of pay by which the particular employee qualifies for 169
that exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act or this chapter, 170
but does not include bonuses, stock options, incentives, deferred 171
compensation, or any other similar form of compensation.172

       (3) "Record" means the name, address, occupation, pay rate, 173
hours worked for each day worked, and each amount paid an employee 174
in one or more documents, databases, or other paper or electronic 175
forms of record-keeping maintained by an employer. No one 176
particular method or form of maintaining such a record or records 177
is required under this division. An employer is not required to 178
create or maintain a single record containing only the employee's 179
name, address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day 180
worked, and each amount paid an employee. An employer shall 181
maintain a record or records from which the employee or person 182
acting on behalf of that employee could reasonably review the 183
information requested by the employee or person.184

       An employer is not required to maintain the records specified 185
in division (F)(3) of this section for any period before January 186
1, 2007. On and after January 1, 2007, the employer shall maintain 187
the records required by division (F)(3) of this section for three 188
years from the date the hours were worked by the employee and for 189
three years after the date the employee's employment ends.190

       (4)(a) Except for individuals specified in division (F)(4)(b) 191
of this section, "hours worked for each day worked" means the 192
total amount of time worked by an employee in whatever increments 193
the employer uses for its payroll purposes during a day worked by 194
the employee. An employer is not required to keep a record of the 195
time of day an employee begins and ends work on any given day. As 196
used in division (F)(4) of this section, "day" means a fixed 197
period of twenty-four consecutive hours during which an employee 198
performs work for an employer.199

       (b) An employer is not required to keep records of "hours 200
worked for each day worked" for individuals for whom the employer 201
is not required to keep those records under the Fair Labor 202
Standards Act and its regulations or individuals who are not 203
subject to the overtime pay requirements specified in section 204
4111.03 of the Revised Code.205

       (5) "Each amount paid an employee" means the total gross 206
wages paid to an employee for each pay period. As used in division 207
(F)(5) of this section, "pay period" means the period of time 208
designated by an employer to pay an employee the employee's gross 209
wages in accordance with the employer's payroll practices under 210
section 4113.15 of the Revised Code.211

       (G) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 212
Constitution, an employer must provide such information without 213
charge to an employee or person acting on behalf of an employee 214
upon request. As used in division (G) of this section:215

       (1) "Such information" means the name, address, occupation, 216
pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, and each amount paid 217
for the specific employee who has requested that specific 218
employee's own information and does not include the name, address, 219
occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, or each 220
amount paid of any other employee of the employer. "Such 221
information" does not include hours worked for each day worked by 222
individuals for whom an employer is not required to keep that 223
information under the Fair Labor Standards Act and its regulations 224
or individuals who are not subject to the overtime pay 225
requirements specified in section 4111.03 of the Revised Code.226

       (2) "Acting on behalf of an employee" means a person acting 227
on behalf of an employee as any of the following:228

       (a) The certified or legally recognized collective bargaining 229
representative for that employee under the applicable federal law 230
or Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code;231

       (b) The employee's attorney;232

       (c) The employee's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.233

       A person "acting on behalf of an employee" must be 234
specifically authorized by an employee in order to make a request 235
for that employee's own name, address, occupation, pay rate, hours 236
worked for each day worked, and each amount paid to that employee.237

       (3) "Provide" means that an employer shall provide the 238
requested information within thirty business days after the date 239
the employer receives the request, unless either of the following 240
occurs:241

       (a) The employer and the employee or person acting on behalf 242
of the employee agree to some alternative time period for 243
providing the information.244

       (b) The thirty-day period would cause a hardship on the 245
employer under the circumstances, in which case the employer must 246
provide the requested information as soon as practicable.247

       (4) A "request" made by an employee or a person acting on 248
behalf of an employee means a request by an employee or a person 249
acting on behalf of an employee for the employee's own 250
information. The employer may require that the employee provide 251
the employer with a written request that has been signed by the 252
employee and notarized and that reasonably specifies the 253
particular information being requested. The employer may require 254
that the person acting on behalf of an employee provide the 255
employer with a written request that has been signed by the 256
employee whose information is being requested and notarized and 257
that reasonably specifies the particular information being 258
requested. 259

       (H) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 260
Constitution, an employee, person acting on behalf of one or more 261
employees, and any other interested party may file a complaint 262
with the state for a violation of any provision of Section 34a of 263
Article II, Ohio Constitution, or any law or regulation 264
implementing its provisions. Such complaint shall be promptly 265
investigated and resolved by the state. The employee's name shall 266
be kept confidential unless disclosure is necessary to resolution 267
of a complaint and the employee consents to disclosure. As used in 268
division (H) of this section:269

       (1) "Complaint" means a complaint of an alleged violation 270
pertaining to harm suffered by the employee filing the complaint, 271
by a person acting on behalf of one or more employees, or by an 272
interested party. 273

       (2) "Acting on behalf of one or more employees" has the same 274
meaning as "acting on behalf of an employee" in division (G)(2) of 275
this section. Each employee must provide a separate written and 276
notarized authorization before the person acting on that 277
employee's or those employees' behalf may request the name, 278
address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, 279
and each amount paid for the particular employee. 280

       (3) "Interested party" means a party who alleges to be 281
injured by the alleged violation and who has standing to file a 282
complaint under common law principles of standing.283

       (4) "Resolved by the state" means that the complaint has been 284
resolved to the satisfaction of the state.285

       (5) "Shall be kept confidential" means that the state shall 286
keep the name of the employee confidential as required by division 287
(H) of this section.288

       (I) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 289
Constitution, the state may on its own initiative investigate an 290
employer's compliance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 291
Constitution, and any law or regulation implementing Section 34a 292
of Article II, Ohio Constitution. The employer shall make 293
available to the state any records related to such investigation 294
and other information required for enforcement of Section 34a of 295
Article II, Ohio Constitution or any law or regulation 296
implementing Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution. The 297
state shall investigate an employer's compliance with this section 298
in accordance with the procedures described in section 4111.04 of 299
the Revised Code. All records and information related to 300
investigations by the state are confidential and are not a public 301
record subject to section 149.43 of the Revised Code. This 302
division does not prevent the state from releasing to or 303
exchanging with other state and federal wage and hour regulatory 304
authorities information related to investigations.305

       (J) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 306
Constitution, damages shall be calculated as an additional two 307
times the amount of the back wages and in the case of a violation 308
of an anti-retaliation provision an amount set by the state or 309
court sufficient to compensate the employee and deter future 310
violations, but not less than one hundred fifty dollars for each 311
day that the violation continued. The "not less than one hundred 312
fifty dollar" penalty specified in division (J) of this section 313
shall be imposed only for violations of the anti-retaliation 314
provision in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution.315

       (K) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 316
Constitution, an action for equitable and monetary relief may be 317
brought against an employer by the attorney general and/or an 318
employee or person acting on behalf of an employee or all 319
similarly situated employees in any court of competent 320
jurisdiction, including the court of common pleas of an employee's 321
county of residence, for any violation of Section 34a of Article 322
II, Ohio Constitution, or any law or regulation implementing its 323
provisions within three years of the violation or of when the 324
violation ceased if it was of a continuing nature, or within one 325
year after notification to the employee of final disposition by 326
the state of a complaint for the same violation, whichever is 327
later.328

       (1) As used in division (K) of this section, "notification" 329
means the date on which the notice was sent to the employee by the 330
state.331

       (2) No employee shall join as a party plaintiff in any civil 332
action that is brought under division (K) of this section by an 333
employee, person acting on behalf of an employee, or person acting 334
on behalf of all similarly situated employees unless that employee 335
first gives written consent to become such a party plaintiff and 336
that consent is filed with the court in which the action is 337
brought.338

       (3) A civil action regarding an alleged violation of this 339
section shall be maintained only under division (K) of this 340
section. This division does not preclude the joinder in a single 341
civil action of an action under this division and an action under 342
section 4111.10 of the Revised Code.343

       (4) Any agreement between an employee and employer to work 344
for less than the wage rate specified in Section 34a of Article 345
II, Ohio Constitution, is no defense to an action under this 346
section.347

       (L) In accordance with Section 34a of Article II, Ohio 348
Constitution, there shall be no exhaustion requirement, no 349
procedural, pleading, or burden of proof requirements beyond those 350
that apply generally to civil suits in order to maintain such 351
action and no liability for costs or attorney's fees on an 352
employee except upon a finding that such action was frivolous in 353
accordance with the same standards that apply generally in civil 354
suits. Nothing in division (L) of this section affects the right 355
of an employer and employee to agree to submit a dispute under 356
this section to alternative dispute resolution, including, but not 357
limited to, arbitration, in lieu of maintaining the civil suit 358
specified in division (K) of this section. Nothing in this 359
division limits the state's ability to investigate or enforce this 360
section.361

       (M) An employer who provides such information specified in 362
Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution, shall be immune from 363
any civil liability for injury, death, or loss to person or 364
property that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result 365
of providing that information to an employee or person acting on 366
behalf of an employee in response to a request by the employee or 367
person, and the employer shall not be subject to the provisions of 368
Chapters 1347. and 1349. of the Revised Code to the extent that 369
such provisions would otherwise apply. As used in division (M) of 370
this section, "such information," "acting on behalf of an 371
employee," and "request" have the same meanings as in division (G) 372
of this section.373

       (N) As used in this section, "the state" means the director 374
of commerce.375

       Sec. 4113.15.  (A) Every individual, firm, partnership, 376
association, or corporation doing business in this state shall, on 377
or before the first day of each month, pay all its employees the 378
wages earned by them during the first half of the preceding month 379
ending with the fifteenth day thereof, and shall, on or before the 380
fifteenth day of each month, pay such employees the wages earned 381
by them during the last half of the preceding calendar month. If 382
at any time of payment an employee is absent from histhe383
employee's regular place of labor and does not receive histhe384
employee's wages through an authorized representative, such person385
shall be entitled to said payment at any time thereafter upon 386
demand upon the proper paymaster at the place where such wages are 387
usually paid and where such pay is due. This section does not 388
prohibit the daily or weekly payment of wages. Theor the use of a 389
longer time lapse that is customary to a given trade, profession 390
or occupation, or establishment of a different time lapse by391
written contract or by operation of law.392

       (B) Where wages remain unpaid for thirty days beyond the 393
regularly scheduled payday or, in the case where no regularly 394
scheduled payday is applicable, for sixty days beyond the filing 395
by the employee of a claim or for sixty days beyond the date of 396
the agreement, award, or other act making wages payable and no 397
contest court order or dispute of any wage claim including the398
assertion of a counterclaim exists accounting for nonpayment, the 399
employer, in addition, as liquidated damages, is liable to the 400
employee in an amount equal to six per cent of the amount of the 401
claim still unpaid and not in contest or disputed or two hundred 402
dollars, whichever is greater.403

       (C) In the absence of a contest, court order or dispute, an 404
employer who is party to an agreement to pay or provide fringe 405
benefits to an employee or to make any employee authorized 406
deduction becomes a trustee of any funds required by such 407
agreement to be paid to any person, organization, or governmental408
agency from the time that the duty to make such payment arises. No 409
person shall, without reasonable justification or excuse for such 410
failure, knowingly fail or refuse to pay to the appropriate 411
person, organization, or governmental agency the amount necessary 412
to provide the benefits or accomplish the purpose of any employee 413
authorized deduction, within thirty days after the close of the 414
pay period during which the employee earned or had deducted the 415
amount of money necessary to pay for the fringe benefit or make 416
any employee authorized deduction. A failure or refusal to pay, 417
regardless of the number of employee pay accounts involved, 418
constitutes one offense for the first delinquency of thirty days 419
and a separate offense for each successive delinquency of thirty420
days.421

       (D) As used in this section and section 4113.16 of the 422
Revised Code:423

       (1) "Wage" means the net amount of money payable to an 424
employee, including any guaranteed pay or reimbursement for 425
expenses, less any federal, state, or local taxes withheld; any 426
deductions made pursuant to a written agreement for the purpose of 427
providing the employee with any fringe benefits; and any employee 428
authorize deduction.429

       (2) "Fringe benefits" includes but is not limited to health, 430
welfare, or retirement benefits, whether paid for entirely by the 431
employer or on the basis of a joint employer-employee 432
contribution, or vacation, separation, or holiday pay.433

       (3) "Employee authorized deduction" includes but is not 434
limited to deductions for the purpose of any of the following: (a) 435
purchase436

       (a) Purchase of United States savings bonds or corporate437
stocks or bonds, (b) a;438

       (b) A charitable contribution, (c) credit;439

       (c) Credit union savings or other regular savings program, or 440
(d) repayment;441

       (d) Repayment of a loan or other obligation.442

       (4) "Employee" includes an individual who performs services 443
for an employer, unless the director of commerce determines that 444
the factors described in division (B) of section 4175.03 of the 445
Revised Code apply to that individual.446

       Sec. 4115.03.  As used in sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the447
Revised Code:448

       (A) "Public authority" means any officer, board, or449
commission of the state, or any political subdivision of the450
state, authorized to enter into a contract for the construction of451
a public improvement or to construct the same by the direct452
employment of labor, or any institution supported in whole or in453
part by public funds and said sections apply to expenditures of454
such institutions made in whole or in part from public funds.455

       (B) "Construction" means either of the following:456

       (1) Any new construction of any public improvement, the total 457
overall project cost of which is fairly estimated to be more than 458
fifty thousand dollars adjusted biennially by the director of459
commerce pursuant to section 4115.034 of the Revised Code and460
performed by other than full-time employees who have completed461
their probationary periods in the classified service of a public462
authority;463

       (2) Any reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, repair,464
remodeling, renovation, or painting of any public improvement, the465
total overall project cost of which is fairly estimated to be more466
than fifteen thousand dollars adjusted biennially by the467
administrator pursuant to section 4115.034 of the Revised Code and468
performed by other than full-time employees who have completed469
their probationary period in the classified civil service of a470
public authority.471

       (C) "Public improvement" includes all buildings, roads,472
streets, alleys, sewers, ditches, sewage disposal plants, water473
works, and all other structures or works constructed by a public474
authority of the state or any political subdivision thereof or by475
any person who, pursuant to a contract with a public authority,476
constructs any structure for a public authority of the state or a477
political subdivision thereof. When a public authority rents or478
leases a newly constructed structure within six months after479
completion of such construction, all work performed on such480
structure to suit it for occupancy by a public authority is a481
"public improvement." "Public improvement" does not include an482
improvement authorized by section 1515.08 of the Revised Code that483
is constructed pursuant to a contract with a soil and water484
conservation district, as defined in section 1515.01 of the485
Revised Code, or performed as a result of a petition filed486
pursuant to Chapter 6131., 6133., or 6135. of the Revised Code,487
wherein no less than seventy-five per cent of the project is488
located on private land and no less than seventy-five per cent of489
the cost of the improvement is paid for by private property owners490
pursuant to Chapter 1515., 6131., 6133., or 6135. of the Revised491
Code.492

       (D) "Locality" means the county wherein the physical work493
upon any public improvement is being performed.494

       (E) "Prevailing wages" means the sum of the following:495

       (1) The basic hourly rate of pay;496

       (2) The rate of contribution irrevocably made by a contractor 497
or subcontractor to a trustee or to a third person pursuant to a 498
fund, plan, or program;499

       (3) The rate of costs to the contractor or subcontractor500
which may be reasonably anticipated in providing the following501
fringe benefits to laborers and mechanics pursuant to an502
enforceable commitment to carry out a financially responsible plan503
or program which was communicated in writing to the laborers and504
mechanics affected:505

       (a) Medical or hospital care or insurance to provide such;506

       (b) Pensions on retirement or death or insurance to provide507
such;508

       (c) Compensation for injuries or illnesses resulting from509
occupational activities if it is in addition to that coverage510
required by Chapters 4121. and 4123. of the Revised Code;511

       (d) Supplemental unemployment benefits that are in addition512
to those required by Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code;513

       (e) Life insurance;514

       (f) Disability and sickness insurance;515

       (g) Accident insurance;516

       (h) Vacation and holiday pay;517

       (i) Defraying of costs for apprenticeship or other similar518
training programs which are beneficial only to the laborers and519
mechanics affected;520

       (j) Other bona fide fringe benefits.521

       None of the benefits enumerated in division (E)(3) of this522
section may be considered in the determination of prevailing wages523
if federal, state, or local law requires contractors or524
subcontractors to provide any of such benefits.525

       (F) "Interested party," with respect to a particular public526
improvement, means:527

       (1) Any person who submits a bid for the purpose of securing528
the award of a contract for construction of the public529
improvement;530

       (2) Any person acting as a subcontractor of a person531
mentioned in division (F)(1) of this section;532

       (3) Any bona fide organization of labor which has as members533
or is authorized to represent employees of a person mentioned in534
division (F)(1) or (2) of this section and which exists, in whole535
or in part, for the purpose of negotiating with employers536
concerning the wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment537
of employees;538

       (4) Any association having as members any of the persons539
mentioned in division (F)(1) or (2) of this section.540

       (G) Except as used in division (A) of this section, "officer" 541
means an individual who has an ownership interest or holds an 542
office of trust, command, or authority in a corporation, business 543
trust, partnership, or association.544

       (H) "Employee" includes an individual who performs services 545
for an employer, unless the director of commerce determines that 546
the factors described in division (B) of section 4175.03 of the 547
Revised Code apply to that individual.548

       Sec. 4123.01.  As used in this chapter:549

       (A)(1) "Employee" meansExcept as otherwise provided in 550
division (A)(2) of this section, "employee" includes an individual 551
who performs services for an employer and includes all of the 552
following persons:553

       (a) Every person in the service of the state, or of any554
county, municipal corporation, township, or school district555
therein, including regular members of lawfully constituted police556
and fire departments of municipal corporations and townships,557
whether paid or volunteer, and wherever serving within the state558
or on temporary assignment outside thereof, and executive officers559
of boards of education, under any appointment or contract of hire,560
express or implied, oral or written, including any elected561
official of the state, or of any county, municipal corporation, or562
township, or members of boards of education.563

       As used in division (A)(1)(a) of this section, the term 564
"employee" includes the following persons when responding to an 565
inherently dangerous situation that calls for an immediate 566
response on the part of the person, regardless of whether the 567
person is within the limits of the jurisdiction of the person's 568
regular employment or voluntary service when responding, on the 569
condition that the person responds to the situation as the person 570
otherwise would if the person were on duty in the person's571
jurisdiction:572

       (i) Off-duty peace officers. As used in division (A)(1)(a)(i) 573
of this section, "peace officer" has the same meaning as in574
section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.575

       (ii) Off-duty firefighters, whether paid or volunteer, of a576
lawfully constituted fire department.577

       (iii) Off-duty first responders, emergency medical578
technicians-basic, emergency medical technicians-intermediate, or579
emergency medical technicians-paramedic, whether paid or580
volunteer, of an ambulance service organization or emergency581
medical service organization pursuant to Chapter 4765. of the582
Revised Code.583

       (b) Every person in the service of any person, firm, or584
private corporation, including any public service corporation,585
that (i) employs one or more persons regularly in the same586
business or in or about the same establishment under any contract587
of hire, express or implied, oral or written, including aliens and588
minors, household workers who earn one hundred sixty dollars or589
more in cash in any calendar quarter from a single household and590
casual workers who earn one hundred sixty dollars or more in cash591
in any calendar quarter from a single employer, or (ii) is bound592
by any such contract of hire or by any other written contract, to593
pay into the state insurance fund the premiums provided by this594
chapter.595

       (c) Every person who performs labor or provides services596
pursuant to a construction contract, as defined in section 4123.79597
of the Revised Code, if at least ten of the following criteria598
apply:599

       (i) The person is required to comply with instructions from600
the other contracting party regarding the manner or method of601
performing services;602

       (ii) The person is required by the other contracting party to 603
have particular training;604

       (iii) The person's services are integrated into the regular605
functioning of the other contracting party;606

       (iv) The person is required to perform the work personally;607

       (v) The person is hired, supervised, or paid by the other608
contracting party;609

       (vi) A continuing relationship exists between the person and610
the other contracting party that contemplates continuing or611
recurring work even if the work is not full time;612

       (vii) The person's hours of work are established by the other 613
contracting party;614

       (viii) The person is required to devote full time to the615
business of the other contracting party;616

       (ix) The person is required to perform the work on the617
premises of the other contracting party;618

       (x) The person is required to follow the order of work set by 619
the other contracting party;620

       (xi) The person is required to make oral or written reports621
of progress to the other contracting party;622

       (xii) The person is paid for services on a regular basis such 623
as hourly, weekly, or monthly;624

       (xiii) The person's expenses are paid for by the other625
contracting party;626

       (xiv) The person's tools and materials are furnished by the627
other contracting party;628

       (xv) The person is provided with the facilities used to629
perform services;630

       (xvi) The person does not realize a profit or suffer a loss631
as a result of the services provided;632

       (xvii) The person is not performing services for a number of633
employers at the same time;634

       (xviii) The person does not make the same services available635
to the general public;636

       (xix) The other contracting party has a right to discharge637
the person;638

       (xx) The person has the right to end the relationship with639
the other contracting party without incurring liability pursuant640
to an employment contract or agreement.641

       (d) Every person in the service of any independent contractor 642
or subcontractor who has failed to pay into the state insurance 643
fund the amount of premium determined and fixed by the 644
administrator of workers' compensation for the person's employment 645
or occupation or if a self-insuring employer has failed to pay 646
compensation and benefits directly to the employer's injured and 647
to the dependents of the employer's killed employees as required 648
by section 4123.35 of the Revised Code, shall be considered as the 649
employee of the person who has entered into a contract, whether 650
written or verbal, with such independent contractor unless such 651
employees or their legal representatives or beneficiaries elect, 652
after injury or death, to regard such independent contractor as 653
the employer.654

       (d)(e) Every person to whom all of the following apply:655

       (i) The person is a resident of a state other than this state 656
and is covered by that other state's workers' compensation law;657

       (ii) The person performs labor or provides services for that 658
person's employer while temporarily within this state;659

       (iii) The laws of that other state do not include the 660
provisions described in division (H)(4) of section 4123.54 of the 661
Revised Code.662

       (2) "Employee" does not mean any of the following:663

       (a) A duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister or664
assistant or associate minister of a church in the exercise of665
ministry;666

       (b) Any officer of a family farm corporation;667

       (c) An individual incorporated as a corporationto whom the 668
factors described in division (B) of section 4175.03 of the 669
Revised Code apply as determined by the director of commerce; or670

        (d) An individual who otherwise is an employee of an employer 671
but who signs the waiver and affidavit specified in section 672
4123.15 of the Revised Code on the condition that the 673
administrator has granted a waiver and exception to the 674
individual's employer under section 4123.15 of the Revised Code.675

       Any employer may elect to include as an "employee" within676
this chapter, any person excluded from the definition of677
"employee" pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section. If an678
employer is a partnership, sole proprietorship, individual 679
incorporated as a corporation, or family farm corporation, such 680
employer may elect to include as an "employee" within this 681
chapter, any member of such partnership, the owner of the sole 682
proprietorship, the individual incorporated as a corporation, or 683
the officers of the family farm corporation. In the event of an 684
election, the employer shall serve upon the bureau of workers' 685
compensation written notice naming the persons to be covered, 686
include such employee's remuneration for premium purposes in all 687
future payroll reports, and no person excluded from the definition 688
of "employee" pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section, 689
proprietor, individual incorporated as a corporation, or partner 690
shall be deemed an employee within this division until the 691
employer has served such notice.692

       For informational purposes only, the bureau shall prescribe693
such language as it considers appropriate, on such of its forms as694
it considers appropriate, to advise employers of their right to695
elect to include as an "employee" within this chapter a sole696
proprietor, any member of a partnership, an individual 697
incorporated as a corporation, the officers of a family farm 698
corporation, or a person excluded from the definition of699
"employee" under division (A)(2) of this section, that they should 700
check any health and disability insurance policy, or other form of 701
health and disability plan or contract, presently covering them, 702
or the purchase of which they may be considering, to determine 703
whether such policy, plan, or contract excludes benefits for 704
illness or injury that they might have elected to have covered by 705
workers' compensation.706

       (B) "Employer" means:707

       (1) The state, including state hospitals, each county,708
municipal corporation, township, school district, and hospital709
owned by a political subdivision or subdivisions other than the710
state;711

       (2) Every person, firm, professional employer organization as 712
defined in section 4125.01 of the Revised Code, and private 713
corporation, including any public service corporation, that (a) 714
has in service one or more employees or shared employees regularly 715
in the same business or in or about the same establishment under 716
any contract of hire, express or implied, oral or written, or (b) 717
is bound by any such contract of hire or by any other written 718
contract, to pay into the insurance fund the premiums provided by 719
this chapter.720

       All such employers are subject to this chapter. Any member of 721
a firm or association, who regularly performs manual labor in or 722
about a mine, factory, or other establishment, including a723
household establishment, shall be considered an employee in724
determining whether such person, firm, or private corporation, or725
public service corporation, has in its service, one or more726
employees and the employer shall report the income derived from727
such labor to the bureau as part of the payroll of such employer,728
and such member shall thereupon be entitled to all the benefits of729
an employee.730

       (C) "Injury" includes any injury, whether caused by external731
accidental means or accidental in character and result, received732
in the course of, and arising out of, the injured employee's733
employment. "Injury" does not include:734

       (1) Psychiatric conditions except where the claimant's 735
psychiatric conditions have arisen from an injury or occupational 736
disease sustained by that claimant or where the claimant's 737
psychiatric conditions have arisen from sexual conduct in which 738
the claimant was forced by threat of physical harm to engage or 739
participate;740

       (2) Injury or disability caused primarily by the natural741
deterioration of tissue, an organ, or part of the body;742

       (3) Injury or disability incurred in voluntary participation743
in an employer-sponsored recreation or fitness activity if the744
employee signs a waiver of the employee's right to compensation or745
benefits under this chapter prior to engaging in the recreation or746
fitness activity;747

       (4) A condition that pre-existed an injury unless that 748
pre-existing condition is substantially aggravated by the injury. 749
Such a substantial aggravation must be documented by objective 750
diagnostic findings, objective clinical findings, or objective 751
test results. Subjective complaints may be evidence of such a 752
substantial aggravation. However, subjective complaints without 753
objective diagnostic findings, objective clinical findings, or 754
objective test results are insufficient to substantiate a 755
substantial aggravation.756

       (D) "Child" includes a posthumous child and a child legally757
adopted prior to the injury.758

       (E) "Family farm corporation" means a corporation founded for 759
the purpose of farming agricultural land in which the majority of 760
the voting stock is held by and the majority of the stockholders 761
are persons or the spouse of persons related to each other within 762
the fourth degree of kinship, according to the rules of the civil 763
law, and at least one of the related persons is residing on or 764
actively operating the farm, and none of whose stockholders are a 765
corporation. A family farm corporation does not cease to qualify 766
under this division where, by reason of any devise, bequest, or 767
the operation of the laws of descent or distribution, the 768
ownership of shares of voting stock is transferred to another 769
person, as long as that person is within the degree of kinship 770
stipulated in this division.771

       (F) "Occupational disease" means a disease contracted in the772
course of employment, which by its causes and the characteristics773
of its manifestation or the condition of the employment results in774
a hazard which distinguishes the employment in character from775
employment generally, and the employment creates a risk of776
contracting the disease in greater degree and in a different777
manner from the public in general.778

       (G) "Self-insuring employer" means an employer who is granted 779
the privilege of paying compensation and benefits directly under 780
section 4123.35 of the Revised Code, including a board of county 781
commissioners for the sole purpose of constructing a sports782
facility as defined in section 307.696 of the Revised Code,783
provided that the electors of the county in which the sports784
facility is to be built have approved construction of a sports785
facility by ballot election no later than November 6, 1997.786

       (H) "Public employer" means an employer as defined in787
division (B)(1) of this section.788

       (I) "Sexual conduct" means vaginal intercourse between a male 789
and female; anal intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus between 790
persons regardless of gender; and, without privilege to do so, the 791
insertion, however slight, of any part of the body or any 792
instrument, apparatus, or other object into the vaginal or anal 793
cavity of another. Penetration, however slight, is sufficient to 794
complete vaginal or anal intercourse.795

       (J) "Other-states' insurer" means an insurance company that 796
is authorized to provide workers' compensation insurance coverage 797
in any of the states that permit employers to obtain insurance 798
for workers' compensation claims through insurance companies.799

       (K) "Other-states' coverage" means insurance coverage 800
purchased by an employer for workers' compensation claims that 801
arise in a state or states other than this state and that are 802
filed by the employees of the employer or those employee's 803
dependents, as applicable, in that other state or those other 804
states.805

       Sec. 4141.01.  As used in this chapter, unless the context806
otherwise requires:807

       (A)(1) "Employer" means the state, its instrumentalities, its 808
political subdivisions and their instrumentalities, Indian tribes, 809
and any individual or type of organization including any 810
partnership, limited liability company, association, trust, 811
estate, joint-stock company, insurance company, or corporation, 812
whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, trustee in 813
bankruptcy, trustee, or the successor thereof, or the legal 814
representative of a deceased person who subsequent to December 31, 815
1971, or in the case of political subdivisions or their 816
instrumentalities, subsequent to December 31, 1973:817

       (a) Had in employment at least one individual, or in the case 818
of a nonprofit organization, subsequent to December 31, 1973, had 819
not less than four individuals in employment for some portion of a 820
day in each of twenty different calendar weeks, in either the821
current or the preceding calendar year whether or not the same822
individual was in employment in each such day; or823

       (b) Except for a nonprofit organization, had paid for service 824
in employment wages of fifteen hundred dollars or more in any 825
calendar quarter in either the current or preceding calendar year; 826
or827

       (c) Had paid, subsequent to December 31, 1977, for employment 828
in domestic service in a local college club, or local chapter of a 829
college fraternity or sorority, cash remuneration of one thousand 830
dollars or more in any calendar quarter in the current calendar 831
year or the preceding calendar year, or had paid subsequent to 832
December 31, 1977, for employment in domestic service in a private 833
home cash remuneration of one thousand dollars in any calendar 834
quarter in the current calendar year or the preceding calendar 835
year:836

       (i) For the purposes of divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this837
section, there shall not be taken into account any wages paid to,838
or employment of, an individual performing domestic service as839
described in this division.840

       (ii) An employer under this division shall not be an employer 841
with respect to wages paid for any services other than domestic 842
service unless the employer is also found to be an employer under 843
division (A)(1)(a), (b), or (d) of this section.844

       (d) As a farm operator or a crew leader subsequent to845
December 31, 1977, had in employment individuals in agricultural846
labor; and847

       (i) During any calendar quarter in the current calendar year848
or the preceding calendar year, paid cash remuneration of twenty849
thousand dollars or more for the agricultural labor; or850

       (ii) Had at least ten individuals in employment in851
agricultural labor, not including agricultural workers who are852
aliens admitted to the United States to perform agricultural labor853
pursuant to sections 1184(c) and 1101(a)(15)(H) of the 854
"Immigration and Nationality Act," 66 Stat. 163, 189, 8 U.S.C.A.855
1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a), 1184(c), for some portion of a day in each 856
of the twenty different calendar weeks, in either the current or857
preceding calendar year whether or not the same individual was in858
employment in each day; or859

       (e) Is not otherwise an employer as defined under division860
(A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section; and861

       (i) For which, within either the current or preceding862
calendar year, service, except for domestic service in a private863
home not covered under division (A)(1)(c) of this section, is or864
was performed with respect to which such employer is liable for865
any federal tax against which credit may be taken for866
contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment fund;867

       (ii) Which, as a condition for approval of this chapter for868
full tax credit against the tax imposed by the "Federal869
Unemployment Tax Act," 84 Stat. 713, 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311, is870
required, pursuant to such act to be an employer under this871
chapter; or872

       (iii) Who became an employer by election under division873
(A)(4) or (5) of this section and for the duration of such874
election; or875

       (f) In the case of the state, its instrumentalities, its876
political subdivisions, and their instrumentalities, and Indian 877
tribes, had in employment, as defined in divisions (B)(2)(a) and 878
(B)(2)(l) of this section, at least one individual;879

       (g) For the purposes of division (A)(1)(a) of this section,880
if any week includes both the thirty-first day of December and the881
first day of January, the days of that week before the first day882
of January shall be considered one calendar week and the days883
beginning the first day of January another week.884

       (2) Each individual employed to perform or to assist in885
performing the work of any agent or employee of an employer is886
employed by such employer for all the purposes of this chapter,887
whether such individual was hired or paid directly by such888
employer or by such agent or employee, provided the employer had889
actual or constructive knowledge of the work. All individuals890
performing services for an employer of any person in this state891
who maintains two or more establishments within this state are892
employed by a single employer for the purposes of this chapter.893

       (3) An employer subject to this chapter within any calendar894
year is subject to this chapter during the whole of such year and895
during the next succeeding calendar year.896

       (4) An employer not otherwise subject to this chapter who897
files with the director of job and family services a written898
election to become an employer subject to this chapter for not899
less than two calendar years shall, with the written approval of900
such election by the director, become an employer subject to this901
chapter to the same extent as all other employers as of the date902
stated in such approval, and shall cease to be subject to this903
chapter as of the first day of January of any calendar year904
subsequent to such two calendar years only if at least thirty days905
prior to such first day of January the employer has filed with the906
director a written notice to that effect.907

       (5) Any employer for whom services that do not constitute908
employment are performed may file with the director a written909
election that all such services performed by individuals in the910
employer's employ in one or more distinct establishments or places911
of business shall be deemed to constitute employment for all the912
purposes of this chapter, for not less than two calendar years.913
Upon written approval of the election by the director, such914
services shall be deemed to constitute employment subject to this915
chapter from and after the date stated in such approval. Such916
services shall cease to be employment subject to this chapter as917
of the first day of January of any calendar year subsequent to918
such two calendar years only if at least thirty days prior to such919
first day of January such employer has filed with the director a920
written notice to that effect.921

       (B)(1) "Employment" means service performed by an individual922
for remuneration under any contract of hire, written or oral,923
express or implied, including service performed in interstate924
commerce and service performed by an officer of a corporation,925
without regard to whether such service is executive, managerial,926
or manual in nature, and without regard to whether such officer is927
a stockholder or a member of the board of directors of the928
corporation, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the929
director that such individual has been and will continue to be930
free from direction or control over the performance of such931
service, both under a contract of service and in factof commerce 932
determines that the factors described in division (B) of section 933
4175.03 of the Revised Code apply to the individual. The director 934
shall adopt rules to define "direction or control."935

       (2) "Employment" includes all of the following services, 936
unless the director of commerce determines that a service is 937
performed by an individual to whom the factors described in 938
division (B) of section 4175.03 of the Revised Code apply:939

       (a) Service performed after December 31, 1977, by an940
individual in the employ of the state or any of its941
instrumentalities, or any political subdivision thereof or any of942
its instrumentalities or any instrumentality of more than one of943
the foregoing or any instrumentality of any of the foregoing and944
one or more other states or political subdivisions and without945
regard to divisions (A)(1)(a) and (b) of this section, provided946
that such service is excluded from employment as defined in the947
"Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 53 Stat. 183, 26 U.S.C.A. 3301,948
3306(c)(7) and is not excluded under division (B)(3) of this949
section; or the services of employees covered by voluntary950
election, as provided under divisions (A)(4) and (5) of this951
section;952

       (b) Service performed after December 31, 1971, by an953
individual in the employ of a religious, charitable, educational,954
or other organization which is excluded from the term "employment"955
as defined in the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 84 Stat. 713, 26956
U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311, solely by reason of section 26 U.S.C.A.957
3306(c)(8) of that act and is not excluded under division (B)(3)958
of this section;959

       (c) Domestic service performed after December 31, 1977, for960
an employer, as provided in division (A)(1)(c) of this section;961

       (d) Agricultural labor performed after December 31, 1977, for 962
a farm operator or a crew leader, as provided in division963
(A)(1)(d) of this section;964

       (e) Service not covered under division (B)(1) of this section 965
which is performed after December 31, 1971:966

       (i) As an agent-driver or commission-drivera delivery driver967
engaged in distributing meat products, vegetable products, fruit 968
products, bakery products, beverages other than milk, laundry, or969
parcels, freight, dry-cleaning services, for the individual's 970
employer or principalsimilar products;971

       (ii) As a traveling or city salesperson, other than as an972
agent-driver or commission-drivera delivery driver, engaged on a 973
full-time basis in the solicitation on behalf of and in the 974
transmission to the salesperson's employer or principal except for 975
sideline sales activities on behalf of some other person of orders 976
from wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or operators of hotels,977
restaurants, or other similar establishments for merchandise for978
resale, or supplies for use in their business operations, provided979
that for the purposes of division (B)(2)(e)(ii) of this section, 980
the services shall be deemed employment if the contract of service981
contemplates that substantially all of the services are to be982
performed personally by the individual and that the individual 983
does not have a substantial investment in facilities used in 984
connection with the performance of the services other than in 985
facilities for transportation, and the services are not in the986
nature of a single transaction that is not a part of a continuing987
relationship with the person for whom the services are performed.988

       (f) An individual's entire service performed within or both989
within and without the state if:990

       (i) The service is localized in this state.991

       (ii) The service is not localized in any state, but some of992
the service is performed in this state and either the base of993
operations, or if there is no base of operations then the place994
from which such service is directed or controlled, is in this995
state or the base of operations or place from which such service996
is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part997
of the service is performed but the individual's residence is in998
this state.999

       (g) Service not covered under division (B)(2)(f)(ii) of this1000
section and performed entirely without this state, with respect to1001
no part of which contributions are required and paid under an1002
unemployment compensation law of any other state, the Virgin1003
Islands, Canada, or of the United States, if the individual1004
performing such service is a resident of this state and the1005
director approves the election of the employer for whom such1006
services are performed; or, if the individual is not a resident of1007
this state but the place from which the service is directed or1008
controlled is in this state, the entire services of such1009
individual shall be deemed to be employment subject to this1010
chapter, provided service is deemed to be localized within this1011
state if the service is performed entirely within this state or if1012
the service is performed both within and without this state but1013
the service performed without this state is incidental to the1014
individual's service within the state, for example, is temporary1015
or transitory in nature or consists of isolated transactions;1016

       (h) Service of an individual who is a citizen of the United1017
States, performed outside the United States except in Canada after1018
December 31, 1971, or the Virgin Islands, after December 31, 1971,1019
and before the first day of January of the year following that in1020
which the United States secretary of labor approves the Virgin1021
Islands law for the first time, in the employ of an American1022
employer, other than service which is "employment" under divisions1023
(B)(2)(f) and (g) of this section or similar provisions of another1024
state's law, if:1025

       (i) The employer's principal place of business in the United1026
States is located in this state;1027

       (ii) The employer has no place of business in the United1028
States, but the employer is an individual who is a resident of1029
this state; or the employer is a corporation which is organized1030
under the laws of this state, or the employer is a partnership or1031
a trust and the number of partners or trustees who are residents1032
of this state is greater than the number who are residents of any1033
other state; or1034

       (iii) None of the criteria of divisions (B)(2)(f)(i) and (ii) 1035
of this section is met but the employer has elected coverage in 1036
this state or the employer having failed to elect coverage in any 1037
state, the individual has filed a claim for benefits, based on1038
such service, under this chapter.1039

       (i) For the purposes of division (B)(2)(h) of this section,1040
the term "American employer" means an employer who is an1041
individual who is a resident of the United States; or a1042
partnership, if two-thirds or more of the partners are residents1043
of the United States; or a trust, if all of the trustees are1044
residents of the United States; or a corporation organized under1045
the laws of the United States or of any state, provided the term1046
"United States" includes the states, the District of Columbia, the1047
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.1048

       (j) Notwithstanding any other provisions of divisions (B)(1)1049
and (2) of this section, service, except for domestic service in a1050
private home not covered under division (A)(1)(c) of this section,1051
with respect to which a tax is required to be paid under any1052
federal law imposing a tax against which credit may be taken for1053
contributions required to be paid into a state unemployment fund,1054
or service, except for domestic service in a private home not1055
covered under division (A)(1)(c) of this section, which, as a1056
condition for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the1057
"Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 84 Stat. 713, 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to1058
3311, is required to be covered under this chapter.1059

       (k) Construction services performed by any individual under a1060
construction contract, as defined in section 4141.39 of the1061
Revised Code, if the director determines that the employer for1062
whom services are performed has the right to direct or control the1063
performance of the services and that the individuals who perform1064
the services receive remuneration for the services performed. The1065
director shall presume that the employer for whom services are1066
performed has the right to direct or control the performance of1067
the services if ten or more of the following criteria apply:1068

       (i) The employer directs or controls the manner or method by1069
which instructions are given to the individual performing1070
services;1071

       (ii) The employer requires particular training for the1072
individual performing services;1073

       (iii) Services performed by the individual are integrated1074
into the regular functioning of the employer;1075

       (iv) The employer requires that services be provided by a1076
particular individual;1077

       (v) The employer hires, supervises, or pays the wages of the1078
individual performing services;1079

       (vi) A continuing relationship between the employer and the1080
individual performing services exists which contemplates1081
continuing or recurring work, even if not full-time work;1082

       (vii) The employer requires the individual to perform1083
services during established hours;1084

       (viii) The employer requires that the individual performing1085
services be devoted on a full-time basis to the business of the1086
employer;1087

       (ix) The employer requires the individual to perform services 1088
on the employer's premises;1089

       (x) The employer requires the individual performing services1090
to follow the order of work established by the employer;1091

       (xi) The employer requires the individual performing services 1092
to make oral or written reports of progress;1093

       (xii) The employer makes payment to the individual for1094
services on a regular basis, such as hourly, weekly, or monthly;1095

       (xiii) The employer pays expenses for the individual1096
performing services;1097

       (xiv) The employer furnishes the tools and materials for use1098
by the individual to perform services;1099

       (xv) The individual performing services has not invested in1100
the facilities used to perform services;1101

       (xvi) The individual performing services does not realize a1102
profit or suffer a loss as a result of the performance of the1103
services;1104

       (xvii) The individual performing services is not performing1105
services for more than two employers simultaneously;1106

       (xviii) The individual performing services does not make the1107
services available to the general public;1108

       (xix) The employer has a right to discharge the individual1109
performing services;1110

       (xx) The individual performing services has the right to end1111
the individual's relationship with the employer without incurring1112
liability pursuant to an employment contract or agreement.1113

       (l) Service performed by an individual in the employ of an1114
Indian tribe as defined by section 4(e) of the "Indian1115
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act," 88 Stat. 22041116
(1975), 25 U.S.C.A. 450b(e), including any subdivision,1117
subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by an Indian tribe1118
provided that the service is excluded from employment as defined1119
in the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 53 Stat. 183, (1939), 261120
U.S.C.A. 3301 and 3306(c)(7) and is not excluded under division1121
(B)(3) of this section.1122

       (3) "Employment" does not include the following services if1123
they are found not subject to the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act,"1124
84 Stat. 713 (1970), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311, and if the services1125
are not required to be included under division (B)(2)(j) of this1126
section:1127

       (a) Service performed after December 31, 1977, in1128
agricultural labor, except as provided in division (A)(1)(d) of1129
this section;1130

       (b) Domestic service performed after December 31, 1977, in a1131
private home, local college club, or local chapter of a college1132
fraternity or sorority except as provided in division (A)(1)(c) of1133
this section;1134

       (c) Service performed after December 31, 1977, for this state 1135
or a political subdivision as described in division (B)(2)(a) of 1136
this section when performed:1137

       (i) As a publicly elected official;1138

       (ii) As a member of a legislative body, or a member of the1139
judiciary;1140

       (iii) As a military member of the Ohio national guard;1141

       (iv) As an employee, not in the classified service as defined 1142
in section 124.11 of the Revised Code, serving on a temporary 1143
basis in case of fire, storm, snow, earthquake, flood, or similar 1144
emergency;1145

       (v) In a position which, under or pursuant to law, is1146
designated as a major nontenured policymaking or advisory1147
position, not in the classified service of the state, or a1148
policymaking or advisory position the performance of the duties of1149
which ordinarily does not require more than eight hours per week.1150

       (d) In the employ of any governmental unit or instrumentality 1151
of the United States;1152

       (e) Service performed after December 31, 1971:1153

       (i) Service in the employ of an educational institution or1154
institution of higher education, including those operated by the1155
state or a political subdivision, if such service is performed by1156
a student who is enrolled and is regularly attending classes at1157
the educational institution or institution of higher education; or1158

       (ii) By an individual who is enrolled at a nonprofit or1159
public educational institution which normally maintains a regular1160
faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly organized body1161
of students in attendance at the place where its educational1162
activities are carried on as a student in a full-time program,1163
taken for credit at the institution, which combines academic1164
instruction with work experience, if the service is an integral1165
part of the program, and the institution has so certified to the1166
employer, provided that this subdivision shall not apply to1167
service performed in a program established for or on behalf of an1168
employer or group of employers;1169

       (f) Service performed by an individual in the employ of the1170
individual's son, daughter, or spouse and service performed by a1171
child under the age of eighteen in the employ of the child's1172
father or mother;1173

       (g) Service performed for one or more principals by an1174
individual who is compensated on a commission basis, who in the1175
performance of the work is master of the individual's own time and1176
efforts, and whose remuneration is wholly dependent on the amount1177
of effort the individual chooses to expend, and which service is1178
not subject to the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 53 Stat. 1831179
(1939), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311. Service performed after December 1180
31, 1971:1181

       (i) By an individual for an employer as an insurance agent or 1182
as an insurance solicitor, if all this service is performed for1183
remuneration solely by way of commission;1184

       (ii) As a home worker performing work, according to1185
specifications furnished by the employer for whom the services are1186
performed, on materials or goods furnished by such employer which1187
are required to be returned to the employer or to a person1188
designated for that purpose.1189

       (h) Service performed after December 31, 1971:1190

       (i) In the employ of a church or convention or association of 1191
churches, or in an organization which is operated primarily for1192
religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled,1193
or principally supported by a church or convention or association1194
of churches;1195

       (ii) By a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister1196
of a church in the exercise of the individual's ministry or by a1197
member of a religious order in the exercise of duties required by1198
such order; or1199

       (iii) In a facility conducted for the purpose of carrying out 1200
a program of rehabilitation for individuals whose earning capacity 1201
is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury, or 1202
providing remunerative work for individuals who because of their 1203
impaired physical or mental capacity cannot be readily absorbed in 1204
the competitive labor market, by an individual receiving such 1205
rehabilitation or remunerative work;1206

       (i) Service performed after June 30, 1939, with respect to1207
which unemployment compensation is payable under the "Railroad1208
Unemployment Insurance Act," 52 Stat. 1094 (1938), 45 U.S.C. 351;1209

       (j) Service performed by an individual in the employ of any1210
organization exempt from income tax under section 501 of the1211
"Internal Revenue Code of 1954," if the remuneration for such1212
service does not exceed fifty dollars in any calendar quarter, or1213
if such service is in connection with the collection of dues or1214
premiums for a fraternal beneficial society, order, or association1215
and is performed away from the home office or is ritualistic1216
service in connection with any such society, order, or1217
association;1218

       (k) Casual labor not in the course of an employer's trade or1219
business; incidental service performed by an officer, appraiser,1220
or member of a finance committee of a bank, building and loan1221
association, savings and loan association, or savings association1222
when the remuneration for such incidental service exclusive of the1223
amount paid or allotted for directors' fees does not exceed sixty1224
dollars per calendar quarter is casual labor;1225

       (l) Service performed in the employ of a voluntary employees' 1226
beneficial association providing for the payment of life, 1227
sickness, accident, or other benefits to the members of such1228
association or their dependents or their designated beneficiaries,1229
if admission to a membership in such association is limited to1230
individuals who are officers or employees of a municipal or public1231
corporation, of a political subdivision of the state, or of the1232
United States and no part of the net earnings of such association1233
inures, other than through such payments, to the benefit of any1234
private shareholder or individual;1235

       (m) Service performed by an individual in the employ of a1236
foreign government, including service as a consular or other1237
officer or employee or of a nondiplomatic representative;1238

       (n) Service performed in the employ of an instrumentality1239
wholly owned by a foreign government if the service is of a1240
character similar to that performed in foreign countries by1241
employees of the United States or of an instrumentality thereof1242
and if the director finds that the secretary of state of the1243
United States has certified to the secretary of the treasury of1244
the United States that the foreign government, with respect to1245
whose instrumentality exemption is claimed, grants an equivalent1246
exemption with respect to similar service performed in the foreign1247
country by employees of the United States and of instrumentalities1248
thereof;1249

       (o) Service with respect to which unemployment compensation1250
is payable under an unemployment compensation system established1251
by an act of congress;1252

       (p) Service performed as a student nurse in the employ of a1253
hospital or a nurses' training school by an individual who is1254
enrolled and is regularly attending classes in a nurses' training1255
school chartered or approved pursuant to state law, and service1256
performed as an intern in the employ of a hospital by an1257
individual who has completed a four years' course in a medical1258
school chartered or approved pursuant to state law;1259

       (q) Service performed by an individual under the age of1260
eighteen in the delivery or distribution of newspapers or shopping1261
news, not including delivery or distribution to any point for1262
subsequent delivery or distribution;1263

       (r) Service performed in the employ of the United States or1264
an instrumentality of the United States immune under the 1265
Constitution of the United States from the contributions imposed1266
by this chapter, except that to the extent that congress permits1267
states to require any instrumentalities of the United States to1268
make payments into an unemployment fund under a state unemployment1269
compensation act, this chapter shall be applicable to such1270
instrumentalities and to services performed for such1271
instrumentalities in the same manner, to the same extent, and on1272
the same terms as to all other employers, individuals, and1273
services, provided that if this state is not certified for any1274
year by the proper agency of the United States under section 33041275
of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1954," the payments required of1276
such instrumentalities with respect to such year shall be refunded1277
by the director from the fund in the same manner and within the1278
same period as is provided in division (E) of section 4141.09 of1279
the Revised Code with respect to contributions erroneously1280
collected;1281

       (s) Service performed by an individual as a member of a band1282
or orchestra, provided such service does not represent the1283
principal occupation of such individual, and which service is not1284
subject to or required to be covered for full tax credit against1285
the tax imposed by the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 53 Stat.1286
183 (1939), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311. 1287

       (t) Service performed in the employ of a day camp whose1288
camping season does not exceed twelve weeks in any calendar year,1289
and which service is not subject to the "Federal Unemployment Tax1290
Act," 53 Stat. 183 (1939), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311. Service1291
performed after December 31, 1971:1292

       (i) In the employ of a hospital, if the service is performed1293
by a patient of the hospital, as defined in division (W) of this1294
section;1295

       (ii) For a prison or other correctional institution by an1296
inmate of the prison or correctional institution;1297

       (iii) Service performed after December 31, 1977, by an inmate 1298
of a custodial institution operated by the state, a political 1299
subdivision, or a nonprofit organization.1300

       (u) Service that is performed by a nonresident alien1301
individual for the period the individual temporarily is present in1302
the United States as a nonimmigrant under division (F), (J), (M),1303
or (Q) of section 101(a)(15) of the "Immigration and Nationality1304
Act," 66 Stat. 163, 8 U.S.C.A. 1101, as amended, that is excluded1305
under section 3306(c)(19) of the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act,"1306
53 Stat. 183 (1939), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311.1307

       (v) Notwithstanding any other provisions of division (B)(3)1308
of this section, services that are excluded under divisions1309
(B)(3)(g), (j), (k), and (l) of this section shall not be excluded1310
from employment when performed for a nonprofit organization, as1311
defined in division (X) of this section, or for this state or its1312
instrumentalities, or for a political subdivision or its1313
instrumentalities or for Indian tribes;1314

       (w) Service that is performed by an individual working as an1315
election official or election worker if the amount of remuneration1316
received by the individual during the calendar year for services1317
as an election official or election worker is less than one1318
thousand dollars;1319

       (x) Service performed for an elementary or secondary school1320
that is operated primarily for religious purposes, that is1321
described in subsection 501(c)(3) and exempt from federal income1322
taxation under subsection 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, 261323
U.S.C.A. 501;1324

       (y) Service performed by a person committed to a penal1325
institution.1326

       (z) Service performed for an Indian tribe as described in1327
division (B)(2)(l) of this section when performed in any of the1328
following manners:1329

       (i) As a publicly elected official;1330

       (ii) As a member of an Indian tribal council;1331

       (iii) As a member of a legislative or judiciary body;1332

       (iv) In a position which, pursuant to Indian tribal law, is1333
designated as a major nontenured policymaking or advisory1334
position, or a policymaking or advisory position where the1335
performance of the duties ordinarily does not require more than1336
eight hours of time per week;1337

       (v) As an employee serving on a temporary basis in the case1338
of a fire, storm, snow, earthquake, flood, or similar emergency.1339

       (aa) Service performed after December 31, 1971, for a1340
nonprofit organization, this state or its instrumentalities, a1341
political subdivision or its instrumentalities, or an Indian tribe1342
as part of an unemployment work-relief or work-training program1343
assisted or financed in whole or in part by any federal agency or1344
an agency of a state or political subdivision, thereof, by an1345
individual receiving the work-relief or work-training.1346

       (4) If the services performed during one half or more of any1347
pay period by an employee for the person employing that employee1348
constitute employment, all the services of such employee for such1349
period shall be deemed to be employment; but if the services1350
performed during more than one half of any such pay period by an1351
employee for the person employing that employee do not constitute1352
employment, then none of the services of such employee for such1353
period shall be deemed to be employment. As used in division1354
(B)(4) of this section, "pay period" means a period, of not more1355
than thirty-one consecutive days, for which payment of1356
remuneration is ordinarily made to the employee by the person1357
employing that employee. Division (B)(4) of this section does not1358
apply to services performed in a pay period by an employee for the1359
person employing that employee, if any of such service is excepted1360
by division (B)(3)(o) of this section.1361

       (C) "Benefits" means money payments payable to an individual1362
who has established benefit rights, as provided in this chapter,1363
for loss of remuneration due to the individual's unemployment.1364

       (D) "Benefit rights" means the weekly benefit amount and the1365
maximum benefit amount that may become payable to an individual1366
within the individual's benefit year as determined by the1367
director.1368

       (E) "Claim for benefits" means a claim for waiting period or1369
benefits for a designated week.1370

       (F) "Additional claim" means the first claim for benefits1371
filed following any separation from employment during a benefit1372
year; "continued claim" means any claim other than the first claim1373
for benefits and other than an additional claim.1374

       (G)(1) "Wages" means remuneration paid to an employee by each 1375
of the employee's employers with respect to employment; except 1376
that wages shall not include that part of remuneration paid during 1377
any calendar year to an individual by an employer or such1378
employer's predecessor in interest in the same business or1379
enterprise, which in any calendar year is in excess of eight1380
thousand two hundred fifty dollars on and after January 1, 1992;1381
eight thousand five hundred dollars on and after January 1, 1993;1382
eight thousand seven hundred fifty dollars on and after January 1,1383
1994; and nine thousand dollars on and after January 1, 1995. 1384
Remuneration in excess of such amounts shall be deemed wages1385
subject to contribution to the same extent that such remuneration1386
is defined as wages under the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 841387
Stat. 714 (1970), 26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311, as amended. The1388
remuneration paid an employee by an employer with respect to1389
employment in another state, upon which contributions were1390
required and paid by such employer under the unemployment1391
compensation act of such other state, shall be included as a part1392
of remuneration in computing the amount specified in this1393
division.1394

       (2) Notwithstanding division (G)(1) of this section, if, as1395
of the computation date for any calendar year, the director1396
determines that the level of the unemployment compensation fund is1397
sixty per cent or more below the minimum safe level as defined in1398
section 4141.25 of the Revised Code, then, effective the first day1399
of January of the following calendar year, wages subject to this1400
chapter shall not include that part of remuneration paid during1401
any calendar year to an individual by an employer or such1402
employer's predecessor in interest in the same business or1403
enterprise which is in excess of nine thousand dollars. The1404
increase in the dollar amount of wages subject to this chapter1405
under this division shall remain in effect from the date of the1406
director's determination pursuant to division (G)(2) of this1407
section and thereafter notwithstanding the fact that the level in1408
the fund may subsequently become less than sixty per cent below1409
the minimum safe level.1410

       (H)(1) "Remuneration" means all compensation for personal1411
services, including commissions and bonuses and the cash value of1412
all compensation in any medium other than cash, except that in the1413
case of agricultural or domestic service, "remuneration" includes1414
only cash remuneration. Gratuities customarily received by an1415
individual in the course of the individual's employment from1416
persons other than the individual's employer and which are1417
accounted for by such individual to the individual's employer are1418
taxable wages.1419

       The reasonable cash value of compensation paid in any medium1420
other than cash shall be estimated and determined in accordance1421
with rules prescribed by the director, provided that1422
"remuneration" does not include:1423

       (a) Payments as provided in divisions (b)(2) to (b)(16) of1424
section 3306 of the "Federal Unemployment Tax Act," 84 Stat. 713,1425
26 U.S.C.A. 3301 to 3311, as amended;1426

       (b) The payment by an employer, without deduction from the1427
remuneration of the individual in the employer's employ, of the1428
tax imposed upon an individual in the employer's employ under1429
section 3101 of the "Internal Revenue Code of 1954," with respect1430
to services performed after October 1, 1941.1431

       (2) "Cash remuneration" means all remuneration paid in cash,1432
including commissions and bonuses, but not including the cash1433
value of all compensation in any medium other than cash.1434

       (I) "Interested party" means the director and any party to1435
whom notice of a determination of an application for benefit1436
rights or a claim for benefits is required to be given under1437
section 4141.28 of the Revised Code.1438

       (J) "Annual payroll" means the total amount of wages subject1439
to contributions during a twelve-month period ending with the last1440
day of the second calendar quarter of any calendar year.1441

       (K) "Average annual payroll" means the average of the last1442
three annual payrolls of an employer, provided that if, as of any1443
computation date, the employer has had less than three annual1444
payrolls in such three-year period, such average shall be based on1445
the annual payrolls which the employer has had as of such date.1446

       (L)(1) "Contributions" means the money payments to the state1447
unemployment compensation fund required of employers by section1448
4141.25 of the Revised Code and of the state and any of its1449
political subdivisions electing to pay contributions under section1450
4141.242 of the Revised Code. Employers paying contributions shall 1451
be described as "contributory employers."1452

       (2) "Payments in lieu of contributions" means the money1453
payments to the state unemployment compensation fund required of1454
reimbursing employers under sections 4141.241 and 4141.242 of the1455
Revised Code.1456

       (M) An individual is "totally unemployed" in any week during1457
which the individual performs no services and with respect to such1458
week no remuneration is payable to the individual.1459

       (N) An individual is "partially unemployed" in any week if,1460
due to involuntary loss of work, the total remuneration payable to1461
the individual for such week is less than the individual's weekly1462
benefit amount.1463

       (O) "Week" means the calendar week ending at midnight1464
Saturday unless an equivalent week of seven consecutive calendar1465
days is prescribed by the director.1466

       (1) "Qualifying week" means any calendar week in an1467
individual's base period with respect to which the individual1468
earns or is paid remuneration in employment subject to this1469
chapter. A calendar week with respect to which an individual earns1470
remuneration but for which payment was not made within the base1471
period, when necessary to qualify for benefit rights, may be1472
considered to be a qualifying week. The number of qualifying weeks 1473
which may be established in a calendar quarter shall not exceed 1474
the number of calendar weeks in the quarter.1475

       (2) "Average weekly wage" means the amount obtained by1476
dividing an individual's total remuneration for all qualifying1477
weeks during the base period by the number of such qualifying1478
weeks, provided that if the computation results in an amount that1479
is not a multiple of one dollar, such amount shall be rounded to1480
the next lower multiple of one dollar.1481

       (P) "Weekly benefit amount" means the amount of benefits an1482
individual would be entitled to receive for one week of total1483
unemployment.1484

       (Q)(1) "Base period" means the first four of the last five1485
completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of1486
an individual's benefit year, except as provided in division1487
(Q)(2) of this section.1488

       (2) If an individual does not have sufficient qualifying1489
weeks and wages in the base period to qualify for benefit rights,1490
the individual's base period shall be the four most recently1491
completed calendar quarters preceding the first day of the1492
individual's benefit year. Such base period shall be known as the1493
"alternate base period." If information as to weeks and wages for1494
the most recent quarter of the alternate base period is not1495
available to the director from the regular quarterly reports of1496
wage information, which are systematically accessible, the1497
director may, consistent with the provisions of section 4141.28 of1498
the Revised Code, base the determination of eligibility for1499
benefits on the affidavit of the claimant with respect to weeks1500
and wages for that calendar quarter. The claimant shall furnish1501
payroll documentation, where available, in support of the1502
affidavit. The determination based upon the alternate base period1503
as it relates to the claimant's benefit rights, shall be amended1504
when the quarterly report of wage information from the employer is1505
timely received and that information causes a change in the1506
determination. As provided in division (B) of section 4141.28 of1507
the Revised Code, any benefits paid and charged to an employer's1508
account, based upon a claimant's affidavit, shall be adjusted1509
effective as of the beginning of the claimant's benefit year. No1510
calendar quarter in a base period or alternate base period shall1511
be used to establish a subsequent benefit year.1512

       (3) The "base period" of a combined wage claim, as described1513
in division (H) of section 4141.43 of the Revised Code, shall be1514
the base period prescribed by the law of the state in which the1515
claim is allowed.1516

       (4) For purposes of determining the weeks that comprise a1517
completed calendar quarter under this division, only those weeks1518
ending at midnight Saturday within the calendar quarter shall be1519
utilized.1520

       (R)(1) "Benefit year" with respect to an individual means the1521
fifty-two week period beginning with the first day of that week1522
with respect to which the individual first files a valid1523
application for determination of benefit rights, and thereafter1524
the fifty-two week period beginning with the first day of that1525
week with respect to which the individual next files a valid1526
application for determination of benefit rights after the1527
termination of the individual's last preceding benefit year,1528
except that the application shall not be considered valid unless1529
the individual has had employment in six weeks that is subject to1530
this chapter or the unemployment compensation act of another1531
state, or the United States, and has, since the beginning of the1532
individual's previous benefit year, in the employment earned three1533
times the average weekly wage determined for the previous benefit1534
year. The "benefit year" of a combined wage claim, as described in 1535
division (H) of section 4141.43 of the Revised Code, shall be the 1536
benefit year prescribed by the law of the state in which the claim 1537
is allowed. Any application for determination of benefit rights 1538
made in accordance with section 4141.28 of the Revised Code is 1539
valid if the individual filing such application is unemployed, has 1540
been employed by an employer or employers subject to this chapter 1541
in at least twenty qualifying weeks within the individual's base 1542
period, and has earned or been paid remuneration at an average1543
weekly wage of not less than twenty-seven and one-half per cent of 1544
the statewide average weekly wage for such weeks. For purposes of 1545
determining whether an individual has had sufficient employment 1546
since the beginning of the individual's previous benefit year to1547
file a valid application, "employment" means the performance of 1548
services for which remuneration is payable.1549

       (2) Effective for benefit years beginning on and after1550
December 26, 2004, any application for determination of benefit1551
rights made in accordance with section 4141.28 of the Revised Code1552
is valid if the individual satisfies the criteria described in1553
division (R)(1) of this section, and if the reason for the1554
individual's separation from employment is not disqualifying1555
pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 4141.29 or section 4141.2911556
of the Revised Code. A disqualification imposed pursuant to1557
division (D)(2) of section 4141.29 or section 4141.291 of the1558
Revised Code must be removed as provided in those sections as a1559
requirement of establishing a valid application for benefit years1560
beginning on and after December 26, 2004.1561

       (3) The statewide average weekly wage shall be calculated by1562
the director once a year based on the twelve-month period ending1563
the thirtieth day of June, as set forth in division (B)(3) of1564
section 4141.30 of the Revised Code, rounded down to the nearest1565
dollar. Increases or decreases in the amount of remuneration1566
required to have been earned or paid in order for individuals to1567
have filed valid applications shall become effective on Sunday of1568
the calendar week in which the first day of January occurs that1569
follows the twelve-month period ending the thirtieth day of June1570
upon which the calculation of the statewide average weekly wage1571
was based.1572

       (4) As used in this division, an individual is "unemployed"1573
if, with respect to the calendar week in which such application is1574
filed, the individual is "partially unemployed" or "totally1575
unemployed" as defined in this section or if, prior to filing the1576
application, the individual was separated from the individual's1577
most recent work for any reason which terminated the individual's1578
employee-employer relationship, or was laid off indefinitely or1579
for a definite period of seven or more days.1580

       (S) "Calendar quarter" means the period of three consecutive1581
calendar months ending on the thirty-first day of March, the1582
thirtieth day of June, the thirtieth day of September, and the1583
thirty-first day of December, or the equivalent thereof as the1584
director prescribes by rule.1585

       (T) "Computation date" means the first day of the third1586
calendar quarter of any calendar year.1587

       (U) "Contribution period" means the calendar year beginning1588
on the first day of January of any year.1589

       (V) "Agricultural labor," for the purpose of this division,1590
means any service performed prior to January 1, 1972, which was1591
agricultural labor as defined in this division prior to that date,1592
and service performed after December 31, 1971:1593

       (1) On a farm, in the employ of any person, in connection1594
with cultivating the soil, or in connection with raising or1595
harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including1596
the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and1597
management of livestock, bees, poultry, and fur-bearing animals1598
and wildlife;1599

       (2) In the employ of the owner or tenant or other operator of 1600
a farm in connection with the operation, management, conservation, 1601
improvement, or maintenance of such farm and its tools and 1602
equipment, or in salvaging timber or clearing land of brush and 1603
other debris left by hurricane, if the major part of such service 1604
is performed on a farm;1605

       (3) In connection with the production or harvesting of any1606
commodity defined as an agricultural commodity in section 15 (g)1607
of the "Agricultural Marketing Act," 46 Stat. 1550 (1931), 121608
U.S.C. 1141j, as amended, or in connection with the ginning of1609
cotton, or in connection with the operation or maintenance of1610
ditches, canals, reservoirs, or waterways, not owned or operated1611
for profit, used exclusively for supplying and storing water for1612
farming purposes;1613

       (4) In the employ of the operator of a farm in handling,1614
planting, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing,1615
grading, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a1616
carrier for transportation to market, in its unmanufactured state,1617
any agricultural or horticultural commodity, but only if the1618
operator produced more than one half of the commodity with respect1619
to which such service is performed;1620

       (5) In the employ of a group of operators of farms, or a1621
cooperative organization of which the operators are members, in1622
the performance of service described in division (V)(4) of this1623
section, but only if the operators produced more than one-half of1624
the commodity with respect to which the service is performed;1625

       (6) Divisions (V)(4) and (5) of this section shall not be1626
deemed to be applicable with respect to service performed:1627

       (a) In connection with commercial canning or commercial1628
freezing or in connection with any agricultural or horticultural1629
commodity after its delivery to a terminal market for distribution1630
for consumption; or1631

       (b) On a farm operated for profit if the service is not in1632
the course of the employer's trade or business.1633

       As used in division (V) of this section, "farm" includes1634
stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animal, and truck farms,1635
plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses, or other1636
similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural1637
or horticultural commodities and orchards.1638

       (W) "Hospital" means an institution which has been registered 1639
or licensed by the Ohio department of health as a hospital.1640

       (X) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization, or group1641
of organizations, described in section 501(c)(3) of the "Internal1642
Revenue Code of 1954," and exempt from income tax under section1643
501(a) of that code.1644

       (Y) "Institution of higher education" means a public or1645
nonprofit educational institution, including an educational 1646
institution operated by an Indian tribe, which:1647

       (1) Admits as regular students only individuals having a1648
certificate of graduation from a high school, or the recognized1649
equivalent;1650

       (2) Is legally authorized in this state or by the Indian 1651
tribe to provide a program of education beyond high school; and1652

       (3) Provides an educational program for which it awards a1653
bachelor's or higher degree, or provides a program which is1654
acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, a program of1655
post-graduate or post-doctoral studies, or a program of training1656
to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized1657
occupation.1658

       For the purposes of this division, all colleges and1659
universities in this state are institutions of higher education.1660

       (Z) For the purposes of this chapter, "states" includes the1661
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the1662
Virgin Islands.1663

       (AA) "Alien" means, for the purposes of division (A)(1)(d) of 1664
this section, an individual who is an alien admitted to the United 1665
States to perform service in agricultural labor pursuant to1666
sections 214 (c) and 101 (a)(15)(H) of the "Immigration and1667
Nationality Act," 66 Stat. 163, 8 U.S.C.A. 1101.1668

       (BB)(1) "Crew leader" means an individual who furnishes1669
individuals to perform agricultural labor for any other employer1670
or farm operator, and:1671

       (a) Pays, either on the individual's own behalf or on behalf1672
of the other employer or farm operator, the individuals so1673
furnished by the individual for the service in agricultural labor1674
performed by them;1675

       (b) Has not entered into a written agreement with the other1676
employer or farm operator under which the agricultural worker is1677
designated as in the employ of the other employer or farm1678
operator.1679

       (2) For the purposes of this chapter, any individual who is a 1680
member of a crew furnished by a crew leader to perform service in 1681
agricultural labor for any other employer or farm operator shall 1682
be treated as an employee of the crew leader if:1683

       (a) The crew leader holds a valid certificate of registration 1684
under the "Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act of 1963," 90 1685
Stat. 2668, 7 U.S.C. 2041; or1686

       (b) Substantially all the members of the crew operate or1687
maintain tractors, mechanized harvesting or crop-dusting1688
equipment, or any other mechanized equipment, which is provided by1689
the crew leader; and1690

       (c) If the individual is not in the employment of the other1691
employer or farm operator within the meaning of division (B)(1) of1692
this section.1693

       (3) For the purposes of this division, any individual who is1694
furnished by a crew leader to perform service in agricultural1695
labor for any other employer or farm operator and who is not1696
treated as in the employment of the crew leader under division1697
(BB)(2) of this section shall be treated as the employee of the1698
other employer or farm operator and not of the crew leader. The1699
other employer or farm operator shall be treated as having paid1700
cash remuneration to the individual in an amount equal to the1701
amount of cash remuneration paid to the individual by the crew1702
leader, either on the crew leader's own behalf or on behalf of the1703
other employer or farm operator, for the service in agricultural1704
labor performed for the other employer or farm operator.1705

       (CC) "Educational institution" means an institution other1706
than an institution of higher education as defined in division (Y)1707
of this section, including an educational institution operated by 1708
an Indian tribe, which:1709

       (1) Offers participants, trainees, or students an organized1710
course of study or training designed to transfer to them1711
knowledge, skills, information, doctrines, attitudes, or abilities1712
from, by, or under the guidance of an instructor or teacher; and1713

       (2) Is approved, chartered, or issued a permit to operate as1714
a school by the state board of education, other government agency, 1715
or Indian tribe that is authorized within the state to approve, 1716
charter, or issue a permit for the operation of a school.1717

       For the purposes of this division, the courses of study or1718
training which the institution offers may be academic, technical,1719
trade, or preparation for gainful employment in a recognized1720
occupation.1721

       (DD) "Cost savings day" means any unpaid day off from work in 1722
which employees continue to accrue employee benefits which have a 1723
determinable value including, but not limited to, vacation, 1724
pension contribution, sick time, and life and health insurance.1725

       Sec. 4175.01.  As used in this chapter:1726

       (A) "Employer" means any person, the state, any agency or 1727
instrumentality of the state, and any municipal corporation, 1728
county, township, school district, or other political subdivision 1729
or any agency or instrumentality thereof that engages an 1730
individual to perform services.1731

       (B) "Interested party" means an individual with an interest 1732
in compliance with this chapter.1733

       (C) "Labor organization" has the same meaning as in section 1734
3517.01 of the Revised Code.1735

       (D) "State agency" has the same meaning as in section 1.60 of 1736
the Revised Code.1737

       Sec. 4175.02.  (A) No employer shall fail to designate an 1738
individual who performs services for the employer as an employee 1739
pursuant to section 4175.03 of the Revised Code unless the 1740
employer satisfies the requirements specified in division (B) of 1741
that section.1742

       (B) No employer or any agent of an employer shall retaliate 1743
through discharge, or in any other manner, against any individual 1744
for exercising any rights granted under this chapter.1745

       (C) No employer shall retaliate against an individual if the 1746
individual does any of the following:1747

       (1) Makes a complaint to an employer, coworker, community 1748
organization, or to a federal or state agency or at a public 1749
hearing, stating that provisions of this chapter allegedly have 1750
been violated;1751

       (2) Causes to be instituted any proceeding under or related 1752
to this chapter;1753

       (3) Testifies or prepares to testify in an investigation or 1754
proceeding under this chapter;1755

       (4) Opposes misclassification.1756

       (D) No employer shall attempt to cause or cause an individual 1757
to waive the provisions of this chapter or to enter into a 1758
predispute waiver of the right to a trial by jury.1759

       (E) No employer shall violate a rule adopted by the director 1760
of commerce pursuant to section 4175.06 of the Revised Code.1761

       (F) No person shall require or request an individual to enter 1762
into an agreement or sign a document that results in the 1763
misclassification of the individual as an independent contractor 1764
or otherwise does not accurately reflect the individual's 1765
relationship with an employer.1766

       Sec. 4175.03.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in division 1767
(B) of this section, for purposes of sections 4113.15, 4113.16, 1768
and 4115.03 to 4115.21 and Chapters 4123. and 4141. of the Revised 1769
Code, an employer shall consider an individual who performs 1770
services for the employer to be an employee of the employer.1771

       (B) An individual who performs services for an employer is 1772
not an employee of the employer if the employer demonstrates all 1773
of the following:1774

       (1) The individual has been and will continue to be free from 1775
the control or direction of the employer during the individual's 1776
performance of the services for the employer, both pursuant to 1777
the contract of service entered into between the employer and the 1778
individual and in fact.1779

       (2) The service performed by the individual is outside the 1780
usual scope of services performed by the employer.1781

       (3) The individual is engaged in an established trade, 1782
occupation, profession, or business that is independent from the 1783
employer's occupation, profession, or business.1784

       (C) The director of commerce shall not use an employer's 1785
failure to withhold federal or state income taxes with respect to 1786
an individual or to include remuneration paid to an individual for 1787
purposes of section 4123.26 or 4141.20 of the Revised Code when 1788
making a determination under this section. In making 1789
determinations under this section, the director shall determine 1790
that an individual is an employee if the control exercised by the 1791
party paying remuneration to the individual is general in nature 1792
and is exercised directly or indirectly over the physical 1793
activities of the individual. It is not necessary for the amount 1794
of control to extend to all the details of the physical 1795
performance of the duties performed by an individual for an 1796
employer to consider the individual an employee of the employer.1797

       (D) The burden of proof is on the party asserting that an 1798
individual is not an employee.1799

       Sec. 4175.04.  The director of commerce shall enforce this 1800
chapter. The director shall hire as many investigators and other 1801
personnel as the director determines are necessary to administer 1802
and enforce this chapter. The director may adopt reasonable rules 1803
to implement and administer this chapter. These rules are exempt 1804
from section 111.15 and Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.1805

       Sec. 4175.05.  Any interested party may file a complaint with 1806
the director of commerce against an employer if the interested 1807
party reasonably believes that the entity or employer is in 1808
violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code. The director 1809
shall conduct investigations in connection with the administration 1810
and enforcement of this chapter. Any investigator employed by the 1811
division of labor within the department of commerce is authorized 1812
to visit and inspect, at all reasonable times, all of the offices 1813
and job sites maintained by the employer who is the subject of 1814
the complaint, and is authorized to inspect and audit, at all 1815
reasonable times, all documents necessary to determine whether an 1816
individual performing services for the employer is an employee 1817
under section 4175.03 of the Revised Code. The director may 1818
compel, by subpoena, the attendance and testimony of witnesses 1819
and the production of books, payrolls, records, papers, and other 1820
evidence in any investigation, and may administer oaths to 1821
witnesses.1822

       Sec. 4175.06.  If, after an investigation conducted pursuant 1823
to section 4175.05 of the Revised Code, an investigator employed 1824
by the division of labor within the department of commerce 1825
determines that reasonable evidence exists that an employer has 1826
violated section 4175.02 of the Revised Code, the investigator 1827
shall send a written notice to the director of commerce informing 1828
the director of the inspector's determination.1829

       Within seven days after the director receives a written 1830
report from an investigator, the director shall send a written 1831
notice to the employer who is the subject of the investigation in 1832
the same manner as prescribed in section 119.07 of the Revised 1833
Code for licensees, except that the notice shall specify that a 1834
hearing will be held and shall specify the date, time, and place 1835
of the hearing. The director shall hold a hearing regarding the 1836
alleged violation in the same manner prescribed for an 1837
adjudication hearing under section 119.09 of the Revised Code. If 1838
the director, after the hearing, determines a violation has 1839
occurred, the director may discipline the employer in accordance 1840
with section 4175.07 of the Revised Code. The director's 1841
determination is an order that the person may appeal in accordance 1842
with section 119.12 of the Revised Code. If an employer who 1843
allegedly committed a violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised 1844
Code fails to appear for a hearing, the director may request the 1845
court of common pleas of the county where the alleged violation 1846
occurred to compel the person to appear before the director for a 1847
hearing.1848

       Sec. 4175.07.  If, after a hearing held in accordance with 1849
section 4175.06 of the Revised Code, the director of commerce 1850
determines that a contractor violated section 4175.02 of the 1851
Revised Code, the director may do any of the following:1852

       (A) Issue and cause to be served on any party an order to 1853
cease and desist from further violation of that section;1854

       (B) Take affirmative or other action as considered reasonable 1855
to eliminate the effect of the violation;1856

       (C) Collect the amount of any wages, salary, employment 1857
benefits, or other compensation denied or lost to an individual 1858
because the contractor misclassified the individual;1859

       (D) Assess any civil penalty allowed under section 4175.08 or 1860
4175.09 of the Revised Code.1861

       If the director assesses a contractor a civil penalty for a 1862
violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code and the employer 1863
fails to pay that civil penalty within the time period prescribed 1864
by the director, the director shall forward to the attorney 1865
general the name of the employer and the amount of the civil 1866
penalty for the purpose of collecting that civil penalty. In 1867
addition to the civil penalty assessed pursuant to this section, 1868
the employer also shall pay any fee assessed by the attorney 1869
general for collection of the civil penalty. The attorney general 1870
shall bring any action for relief requested by the director in the 1871
name of the people of the state of Ohio.1872

       Sec. 4175.08.  Except as otherwise provided under section 1873
4175.09 of the Revised Code, an employer who violates section 1874
4175.02 of the Revised Code shall be subject to a civil penalty 1875
not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars for each violation the 1876
director of commerce determines has occurred based upon the first 1877
audit conducted by an investigator pursuant to section 4175.05 of 1878
the Revised Code. If, within five years after the date the 1879
director determines that a violation has occurred, as a result of 1880
a subsequent audit conducted by an investigator and a hearing held 1881
pursuant to section 4175.06 of the Revised Code the director 1882
determines that a subsequent violation has occurred, the employer 1883
shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed twenty-five 1884
thousand dollars for each repeat violation found by the director 1885
that occurred during that five-year period.1886

       For purposes of this section, each violation of section 1887
4175.02 of the Revised Code constitutes a separate violation for 1888
each individual involved and for each day the violation continues.1889

       The director shall base the amount of the civil penalty 1890
assessed under this section upon the director's determination of 1891
the gravity of the violations committed by the employer.1892

       Sec. 4175.09.  (A) Whoever knowingly violates section 4175.02 1893
of the Revised Code, or whoever obstructs the director of commerce 1894
or any other person authorized to inspect places of employment 1895
pursuant to section 4175.05 of the Revised Code shall be liable 1896
for penalties up to double the amount specified in section 4175.08 1897
of the Revised Code.1898

       (B) An employer who is liable under division (A) of this 1899
section because the employer knowingly violated section 4175.02 1900
of the Revised Code also shall be liable to the employee who was 1901
injured by the employer's violation for punitive damages in an 1902
amount equal to the amount of the penalties assessed against the 1903
employer pursuant to division (A) of this section.1904

       (C) The director shall impose the penalties described in 1905
divisions (A) and (B) of this section if a preponderance of the 1906
evidence demonstrates that the employer acted knowingly when 1907
committing the violation.1908

       Sec. 4175.10.  If the director of commerce determines that an 1909
alleged violation of this chapter has occurred that may result in 1910
a penalty assessed pursuant to section 4175.99 of the Revised 1911
Code, the director shall refer the matter to the attorney general, 1912
who shall prosecute the alleged violation.1913

       Sec. 4175.11.  If the director of commerce believes that any 1914
employer allegedly has violated a valid order issued by the 1915
director pursuant to section 4175.07 of the Revised Code, the 1916
director may commence an action in the court of common pleas in 1917
the county where the alleged violation has occurred and obtain 1918
from the court an order compelling the employer to obey the order 1919
of the director or be adjudged guilty of contempt of court and 1920
punished accordingly.1921

       Sec. 4175.12.  (A) An individual, interested party, or labor 1922
organization aggrieved by a violation of section 4175.02 of the 1923
Revised Code by an employer may file suit in the court of common 1924
pleas in the county where the alleged violation occurred or where 1925
any individual who is party to the action resides, without regard 1926
to exhaustion of any alternative administrative remedies provided 1927
in this chapter. An individual, interested party, or labor 1928
organization may bring an action on behalf of the individual, 1929
interested party, or labor organization or on behalf of any other 1930
individual who is similarly situated to the aggrieved individual, 1931
interested party, or labor organization. If a court or a jury in 1932
a civil action brought pursuant to this division determines that a 1933
violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code has occurred, the 1934
court shall award to the plaintiff all of the following:1935

       (1) The amount of any wages, salary, employment benefits, or 1936
other compensation denied or lost to an individual by reason of 1937
the violation, plus an equal amount in liquidated damages;1938

       (2) Compensatory damages and an amount up to five hundred 1939
dollars for each violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code;1940

       (3) In the case of a violation of division (B) or (C) of 1941
section 4175.02 of the Revised Code, all legal or equitable relief 1942
that the court determines appropriate;1943

       (4) Attorney's fees and costs.1944

       (B) An aggrieved individual, interested party, or labor 1945
organization shall bring an action under division (A) of this 1946
section not later than three years after the last day the 1947
aggrieved individual or individual for whom the interested party 1948
or labor organization is bringing the action performed services 1949
for an employer who has allegedly violated section 4175.02 of the 1950
Revised Code. The three-year period specified in this division is 1951
tolled if the employer has deterred the ability of an individual 1952
to bring an action under this section or to file a complaint 1953
under section 4175.05 of the Revised Code.1954

       (C) If the director of commerce has determined under section 1955
4175.07 of the Revised Code that an employer is subject to a 1956
civil penalty under section 4175.08 of the Revised Code for a 1957
violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code, an individual 1958
aggrieved by the employer's violation of section 4175.02 of the 1959
Revised Code or an interested party may bring a civil action in 1960
the court of common pleas in the county where the violation 1961
occurred to enforce that penalty. In any civil action brought 1962
pursuant to this division, the court shall award the aggrieved 1963
individual or interested party ten per cent of the amount of the 1964
penalty owed by the employer, and the remaining amount recovered 1965
shall be awarded to the director. If the employer fails to pay 1966
that civil penalty, the director shall forward to the attorney 1967
general the name of the employer and the amount of the civil 1968
penalty for the purpose of collecting that civil penalty. In 1969
addition to the civil penalty assessed pursuant to this section, 1970
the employer also shall pay any fee assessed by the attorney 1971
general for collection of the civil penalty.1972

       Sec. 4175.13.  (A) The director of commerce shall create a 1973
summary of the requirements of this chapter in English and 1974
Spanish.1975

       (B) If an employer engages an individual to perform services 1976
and that individual is not considered an employee pursuant to 1977
section 4175.03 of the Revised Code, that employer shall post and 1978
keep posted, in a conspicuous place on each job site where that 1979
individual performs services and in each of the employer's 1980
offices, the notice prepared by the director pursuant to division 1981
(A) of this section. The director shall furnish copies of the 1982
notice without charge to an employer upon request.1983

       Sec. 4175.14.  The director of commerce shall create a list 1984
of employers who have committed multiple violations of section 1985
4175.02 of the Revised Code. The director shall add an employer's 1986
name to the list if, during the five-year period beginning on the 1987
date of an earlier determination by the director that the 1988
employer has committed a violation of that section, the director 1989
determines that the employer has committed a subsequent violation 1990
of that section. The list shall include the name of the employer 1991
and the date that the employer committed the employer's most 1992
recent violation. The director shall notify an employer that the 1993
employer will be added to this list within five days after the 1994
director determines that the employer will be added to the list. 1995
The director shall publish the list on the web site maintained by 1996
the department of commerce. No state agency shall enter into a 1997
contract with an employer included in that list for a period of 1998
four years after the date of the employer's most recent employer 1999
violation.2000

       Sec. 4175.15.  The director of commerce, director of job and 2001
family services, the tax commissioner, and the administrator of 2002
workers' compensation shall share information concerning any 2003
suspected misclassification by an employer or entity of one or 2004
more of the contractor's employees as independent contractors in 2005
violation of section 4175.02 of the Revised Code. Upon 2006
determining that an employer has misclassified an employee as an 2007
independent contractor in violation of division (A) of that 2008
section, the director of commerce shall notify the director of 2009
job and family services, the tax commissioner, the auditor of 2010
state, and the administrator of workers' compensation, each of 2011
whom shall determine whether the employer's violation of section 2012
4175.02 of the Revised Code results in the employer not complying 2013
with the requirements of section 4113.15 and Chapters 4111., 2014
4115., 4121., 4123., 4127., 4131., 4141., and 5747. of the 2015
Revised Code, as applicable.2016

       Sec. 4175.16.  There is hereby created in the state treasury 2017
the employee classification fund. The director of commerce shall 2018
deposit all moneys the director receives under this chapter, 2019
including civil penalties, into the fund. The director shall use 2020
the fund for the administration, investigation, and other expenses 2021
incurred in carrying out the director's powers and duties under 2022
this chapter. If, at the end of a fiscal year, the director 2023
determines that excess moneys exist in the fund, the director 2024
shall coordinate with the director of budget and management to 2025
transfer the excess funds to the division of administration fund 2026
created under section 121.08 of the Revised Code.2027

       Sec. 4175.99.  (A) An employer or entity that knowingly 2028
violates section 4175.02 of the Revised Code, for the first 2029
offense, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, and for 2030
any subsequent offense committed within a five-year period 2031
beginning on the date the first offense was committed, the 2032
employer or entity is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.2033

       (B) Whoever violates division (D) of section 4175.02 of the 2034
Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.2035

       Section 2.  That existing sections 121.083, 4111.14, 4113.15, 2036
4115.03, 4123.01, and 4141.01 of the Revised Code are hereby 2037
repealed.2038